Paris Celebrates 100 Years of Art Deco
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If you are in Paris or the region this winter, or planning to come in the next few months, there’s a new exhibition you should not miss. The Museum of Decorative Arts (MAD), situated inside one of the long wings of the Louvre Palace, opened in October a major show dedicated to the Century of Art Deco. It will run until April 2026, so there is plenty of time to enjoy it, but honestly, the earlier the better, before the exhibition gets too crowded.
Art Deco Was Born in France
Art Deco originated in France in the 1920s, and Paris was its centre. It was everywhere: in architecture, furniture, fashion, jewellery, posters, and even train interiors. The movement was modern, elegant, and sometimes a bit extravagant, with clean lines, geometric shapes and a taste for luxury materials. This exhibition is not only beautiful, it also feels like a real journey into the Paris of that era.
You walk through rooms filled with lacquered furniture, shiny metal lamps, fabrics made of galuchat (fish skin), embroidered dresses, glass sculptures and even some re-created interiors from the 1920s and 1930s. Sometimes it feels like you are entering a movie set.
Some pieces come from the museum’s own incredible collection, but many others were loaned by private collectors or international institutions. So even if you think you “already know” Art Deco, you will discover plenty of things you have never seen before.
An International Dimension
The exhibition shows how international Art Deco became. Paris may have started it, but the style travelled all around the world: New York skyscrapers, Miami hotels, Indian palaces, Japanese fashion… The show displays all these influences in a very visual way, with large photographs and objects coming from many countries.
Travel Back in Time in Style
One of the most impressive moments of the exhibition is when you arrive in front of the reconstructed interiors of the Orient Express and the legendary S.S. Normandie. These two icons of French travel were some of the greatest showcases of Art Deco design, and seeing parts of them in real life is honestly quite moving. It feels like entering another time.
Stepping Inside the Orient Express
The Orient Express section is all about elegance and intimacy. You can see the famous wood marquetry panels, the soft lighting, the tiny details on the metal fittings… Everything was designed to make travellers feel comfortable and a bit glamorous, even while crossing Europe in the middle of the night. It gives you the impression that Hercule Poirot might suddenly appear at the corner of the corridor.
Board the S.S. Normandie
Then you arrive at the S.S. Normandie, and it’s really another universe. The ship was one of the most luxurious ever built, and its Art Deco interiors were spectacular. The exhibition showcases original pieces from the grand dining room and the smoking lounge, with these huge lacquered panels, elegant armchairs, and metallic decorative elements that shine under the light. You understand immediately why the Normandie was considered a floating palace.
A Perfect Exhibition for the Winter Months
If you like museums during the colder months, this one is perfect. The atmosphere inside the galleries is soft and warm, and the exhibition is large enough to spend one or two hours without feeling rushed. And when you exit, you are already in the Louvre area, one of the most beautiful parts of Paris. So you can continue strolling along the Seine River.
Benoit Ochart, our property manager and contributor in Paris, crafted this excellent article. Thank you, Benoît, for your latest contribution and the amazing picture. For more stories for visitors heading to Paris this winter, follow Emily in Paris’ favourite places and look out for more articles from the heart of the French capital on our popular French Blog.
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